Napthens unveils new leadership team

Lancashire law firm Napthens LLP has revealed plans for continued growth as it names its new chief executive.

From October 1st John Whittingslow and Shru Morris step up to become Chairman and CEO respectively.

Having spent three years as the Lancashire and Cumbria-based firm’s director of finance, Shru will be responsible for developing and leading Napthens’ strategy.

John Whittingslow explained: “These moves are the next step in our firm’s development. We have an exciting strategic plan in place to take us forward to 2020 and at the root of this plan is our vision, which is to inspire our people through passion, commitment and innovation.”

Alongside Shru and John, the firm has created a board aligned with its strategic plan consisting of partners Simon Ainsworth, chief operations officer, and Chris Boyle, head of client services.

Napthens boasts an extensive team of specialists in private client and commercial services as recent years have seen considerable growth for the firm, including moves into Merseyside and Cumbria where it now operates offices in Southport, Kendal and Penrith.

Originally from Preston, Shru is a qualified chartered accountant. Having trained and worked with accountants RSM for 10 years, she joined Napthens in 2014 after heading up the finance team at Liverpool law firm Weightmans. She explained Napthens is looking to build on its expansion and investment in the region to provide a platform for further growth.

“We are building our firm around our clients and our people whilst looking ahead for innovative ideas for growth. Lancashire of course, remains a key marketplace for us and we continue to grow our core client base, however we are not resting on our laurels. There are further opportunities in areas such as Merseyside – where our brand offers something new, and in Cumbria – where our strength in property provides a unique selling point.”

Shru, who lives in Cheshire, continued: “People remain our priority. Our aim is to create an environment where our people and the individuals and businesses we look after, flourish. Simply put, we want to be the number one law firm to work for and number one in our chosen markets.

“To do this we will continue to listen to the needs of the market as we strive to deliver innovative solutions across our business to meet the future demands of our clients.